Circuit breaker



April 10, 1928.

F W. ROLLER CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Oct. 24, 1

' dmfl l 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY April 10, 1928.

F. W. ROLLER CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Oct. 24, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 N M -M/NVENTOR GM '6 1 :TroRNEYa April 10, 1928.

r--. w. ROLLER CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Oct. 24, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR BY G g 1', +ATTORNEYS April 10, 1928.

1,665,223 F. W. ROLLER CIRCUIT BREAKER Filved 09'9- 24. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 dMJ vz-TZQES F. W. ROLLER CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Oct; 24. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 W INVENTOR BY 0 7:22; ATTORNEYS F. W. ROLLER CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Oct. 24. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Z M INVENTOR g ATI'ORNEYS Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

nun-en sure PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK w; ROLLER, d e-Anon, New erse jAssIGiv oR TO ROLLER-simian COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

cmco'rr BREAKER.

Application filed October 24, i924. Serial No. 745,556.

This invention relates to circuit breakers panying drawings, which illustrate a pie of the type in which the poles are openable ferred embodiment of this invention. Independently of movement of the operating Fig. "1 is a vertical section on the line 1-l handle and in this particular invention the of Fig. 2 showing a preferred embodiment 0 poles are successively closable and openable of this invention and showing the breaker independently of each other. closed and the parts in normal running (it) One Object of this invention is to provide -po'sition;Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the an improved mechanism wherein the poles l ne of Fig. 1; Fig. is a view similar of the breaker are closed successively by to Fig. 1 showing the breaker in open ponioveihent of the operating handle in one disition; Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the rection. Another object is to permit the operating handle raised for closing; Fig. 5 65 pole "first closed to open independently of is a similar view showing the operating "the other pole while the other pole is being handle moved to a position to close one held closed the operator, as for use in pole of the breaker; Fig. 6. is a similar view 15 .St rt'in'g motors, for example, where it is deshowing the operating handle moved to close enable to provide overload protection durboth poles of the. breaker, one of the poles mg starting for a higher current and being restrained from opening; Fig. 7 is a then to provide overload protection durcircuit diagram illustrating the connections m running conditions for a lower value fora threcwire circuit when two pairs of current. further object is to provide rigldly connected poles are used; and Fig. 8 "means which will permit the pole adjusted is a diagram showing the connections of a for opening on the lower current value to four-wire circuit when two pairs of rigidly open freely on overload. of the lower value connected poles are used. when the operating handle is released by the 4 In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, a operator. Another object is to accomplish two pole breaker is shown and since the conthe above results by the operator moving the struotion of each pole of the breaker is simi- Si) handle in one direction only. A further oblar to each other, a description of the mechaject is to provide means for manual, opennism of one pole will suffice for both. ing of the breaker "by movement of the op- The breaker is shown mounted upon a erators handle in the reversed direction. panel l of insulating material and each pole Another object is to provide a construchas a fixed contact comprising a. laminated non applicable to a breaker of any desired yieldable contact 2, a carbon contact 2, number of poles; also applicable to cases yieldable stop 2 and a fixed stop 2 for where poles may be divided into sets with insuring that the contacts will be retained poles of each set controlled in unison, or in proper positions. A movable contact 3 rigidly connected ai'idcontrolled as a single cooperates with the fixed contact and has on pole. as in three-wire and four-wire systems, a surface engaged by the laminated contact wherein four poles may be used in sets of 2 and has an upper carbon contact 3 adapttwo with two poles of each set rigidly con- Led to cooperate with the carbon contact 2. nected and operable in pairs independently Each movable contact is carried IDQiWVQiltt of each other. Another object is to propair of side strips 3* (see Figs 1 and 2) the vide adjustable means whereby each pole of lower ends of which are rigidly secured to the breaker may be cont-rolled to automatia bar 3 extending between the lower ends cally open on the occurrence of any desired of the strips. The bar 3" pivotally mountoverload current value independently of the ed between the sides 4 of a -'lra1ne, which setting of the other pole or poles. frame in turn is secured to the panel 1 0 One of the main objects of this invention by bolts or screws 4 An overload coil is to provide a circuit breaker which will 5 is also mounted between the lower ends of accomplish one or more of the above objects the strips 3 the overload coil being of the 150 by a sirnpie form ofconstruction, and which ribbon type. and having its inner end sewill be durable and dependable in operation cured to the bar 3" and forming good elec- 105 "after long continued use. These and other ,trical connection with the. side strips 3. objects of this invention will be understood The outer end of the oyerload'coil is connectfrom the following description and accouied to a bolt (5 extending through the panel and forming the terminal of the movable contact of the breaker. The corresponding lixed contact is also electrically connected to a bolt 6 extending through the panel and forming the terminal for the fixed contact.

Between the outer and upper ends of the sides at of the supporting frame is pivotally mounted an element for closing the movable contact of the breaker. This element comprises a Ushaped sheet metal main supporting piece 7 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 7 which in turn is supported in the side portions 4. Between the inner ends of the frame 7 is pivotally supported a roller 7 which is adapted to engage a similar roller 3 which is mounted upon a shaft extending between the side strips 3* of the movable element. When the closing element 7 is turned in a clock-wise direction from the position shown in Fig. 3 about its shaft 7, the roller 7 engages the roller 3. and causes the movable contact of the breaker to be turned on its pivotal support to the closed position shown in Fig. 1. In this position, the axis of roll er 7 is carried slightly above a line between the axis of the shaft 7 and of the roller 3 and thereby locks the breaker in closed position. From one side of the closing element 7, a pin 7 extends outwardly and is adapted to engage an abutment l on one of the side portions 4: of the supporting frame and thus limits the locking position of the closing element 7. The pin 7 is eccentrically mounted to secure adjustability, being held in any desired position by a locking screw 7. A U-shaped armature having downwardly extending arms 8 is shaft i which extends through the side portions 4r of the main supporting frame. The arms 8 of this armature are adapted to be attracted towards the iron core 3 upon the passage of a predetermined current through the overload coil 5, the magnetic circuit passing from magnetic core 3* through the air gap to one arm 8 of the armature, thence through the armature to the other arm 8 and then through the air gap back to the core 8 The armature 8 is provided at one side with a projection 8 which, when the armature attracted, will engage the projection '7 from one of the arms of the sheet metal frame 7. as shown in Fig. 1. This engagement will cause the closing element of the breaker to turn counterclock-wise about'its supporting rod 7 and carry the roller 7 below its locking position and so permit the breaker to open automatically. This opening movement is quick acting, due to the spring pressure of the contacts and to auxiliary leaf springs 9 which have their inner ends secured to the supporting frame and their outer ends engaging the movable contact arm of the breaker, as shown in Fig. 1, to throw the same to open position. This opening movement is also assisted by the pivotally mounted upon a act-ion of gravity. The normal position of the armature 8 is adjusted as desired, for determining the curent value at which the breaker will be automatically opened, by

an adjustable screw l carried by an exlocated on one of the side portionsd of the supporting frame; the operator may thus conveniently ad ust the tripping value of the overload current to any predetermined value desired.

It is obvious that each of the above described mechanisms could be used to control the closing and automatic opening of a two pole contact device with the two movable arms rigidly connect-ed, the same as one pole is controlled as above described; or the same result can be obtained of controlling the two poles in unison by rigidly connecting the closing elements of the two poles.

Referring now to the closing mechanism for controlling the breakers separately and successively, and still referring to the closed positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the operating handle 10 is secured to a cross bar 11 of insulating material, and fixed to this cross bar and extending inwardly therefrom Z are shown four supporting elements in the form of plates 12, 12, 12 and 12. Their inner ends are pivotally mounted on the shafts a outside of the side portions 4- of the mainsupporting framej On the inner side of each plate near the cross bar 11 is pivotally mounted a lever 13. These levers are pivotally supported at their upper ends and normally hang downwardly. A pin 14 fixed to each of the plates and somewhat above the pivot of each of the levers 13, serves to limit the movement of the lovers 13 on their pivots in a clock-wise direction. Projections 15 on each of the plates limit the HIOVGIHGDlJ of the lever-s13 in the re verse direction, serving as stops.

Each of the closing elements 7 has scour d thereto a lishaped sheet metal element is having 'lorwardly projecting arms 16, the base portion of the U being secured to the base portion of the element 7 by screws 16. Through the arms 1o extends a shaft 17 carrying on its outer ends the rollers 17. These rollers are in the path of movement of the levers 13 to serve for closing the poles of the breaker in the manner hereinafter described. The levers 1-3 for controlling the closing of one of the two poles of the breaker are positioned differently upon the plates 12, 12 from those on ill) "to its lowest position.

described.

the plates 12" and'12, the lovers being mounted on the plates 12 and 12 at a greater distance, upwardly and inwardly, "from the handle than thoLe on the plates 12 and 12, as shown in Fig. 1. To provide a support for the levers 13 on plates 12 and 12, these plates extend upwardly from the handle a greater distance than do the plates 12 and 12. The lowest position of the hand' operated element is limited by upwardly and inwardly extending portions '12 and 12 which engage the side "frames l when the handle is pressed downwardly When the handle is held in the lowest position, as shown in Fig. 6, it is so held against the pressure of a spring 18. This spring is supported on the panel 1 in a casing 18 having a slot in its lower portion. An arm, 19 in the form of a metal strip is secured to the inner side otthe plate 12 in a fixedeposition thereon. This arm extends toward. the panel and engages the lower end of the spring 18 through the slot in the casing 18. \Vhen pressure is released from the operating'handle, the spring 18- will press the end of the arm 19 downwardly and raise the hand operated element for the purpose hereinafter The plates 12 and '12' are provided with lugs 12*which are located below certain of the rollers 17 in such position that when the operating handle is raised manually beyond the position'to which it is raised'by the spring 18, the lugs l2 will strike against the rollers and turn the closing element 7 counter clock-wise on its pivot, in case the breaker is closed, and thereby cause the manual opening of the movable circuit breaker contacts. 7

Assuming that the breaker is to be used for starting a motor which requires a starting current considerably l'iigher than the running current, it will be understood that the overload protection during starting operation should be adjusted to respond only to a comparatively high overload current; but during running condition when the normal current is low, the overload protection should be adjusted for a considerably lee. overload current than that during starting conditions. Vith the improvement herein described, the trout polo oi the breaker shown in the lower portion of Fig. 2 is adapted to protect the circuit from abnormal overload during starting conditions and the back pole of the breaker shown in the upper part of Fig. will give protection during running conditions against an abnormal current of a considerably lesser value than the protection atlorded by the other pole of the breaker. The automatic response to different current values is obtained by adjusting the lowest position of the armature oi the'tront pole of, the breaker to respond to the predetein'iined higher open position, as shown in Fig. 3, the closing of the brea er is accomplished by the operator raising the operating handle to its highest position which turns the plat-es 12,

12, 12 and 12 on their pivotal supports and carries the levers 13 above and past the rollers 17 andwlien carried beyond the rollers 17, the lovers 13 fall to a. vertical position on the inner side of the rollers 17 The handle is now moved downwardly which results in the levers 13 of the front pole oi the breaker engaging their respective rollers 17, as shown in Fig. 1, the levers 13 of the other pole oi the breaker being still out of engagement with their respective rollers 17. In the position shown in Fig. i, the levers 13 of the front pole of the breaker have been turned. to engage their respective pins 14:, so that continued downward movement of the operating handle now causes the closing element 7 of the front circuit breaker pole to be turned'on its pivot 7 and so bring the front pole of the breaker to its closed position as shown in. Fi 5, the continued downward movement or the operating handle causing the levers 13 to pass over and out of contact with the front pair of rollers 17*. The front pole of thebrealzer is now closed and may at any time be automaticah 'ly' opened in case the overload current through'its controlling coil reaches the predetermined maximum, because the closing element of the front pole of the breaker is: now not engaged by its closing levers 13 and consequently not subject to control by the hand operated element. in the meantime, the continued downward movement of the operating handle has caused the levers 13 of the back pole otthe breaker to finally come into engagement with their corresponding levers 17 and has commenced to turn the closing element 7 of the back pole of the breaker on its pivotand thereby cause the movable contact of the back pole of the breaker to move towards its closed position. The resoective position of the parts at this time shown in Fig. 5.

The continued downward movement of the operating handle will now obviously cause the back pole of the breaker to'be moved to its closed position in the same manner as the pole first closed, causing the parts to assume the position shown in Fig. 6 with the handle held down in its lowest position against the pressure of spring 18. In this position, it will be noted that the levers 13 of the back pole of the breaker are still in Contact with their respective'rollers 17 and as long as the handle is held down by the operator in this position, the back pole of the breaker can not open automatically even if its armature is attracted by the passage of a current of higher value than that for which this pole of the breaker is set.

When the contacts of the second pole of the breaker are closed, the motor circuit is completed and the motor will start. The

F operator during the starting operation holds the operating handle in 1ts lowest position as shown in Fig. 6 andthereby restrains the second pole of the breaker from opening automatically as above stated; but this time the pole first closed is free to be opened automatically, as already explained, and consequently the passage of an abnormal starting current higher than that for which the front pole of the breaker is set, will cause the front pole of the breaker to be opened automatically even though the other pole 1s manually restrained.

If the front pole of the breaker should be automatically opened at this time, it is neces sary for the operator to raise the operating handle to again close the circuit and repeat the starting sequence of movements as al ready described. In raising the handle for this purpose, the lug 12 on the plate 12 will strike against the roller 17 of the back pole of the breaker and cause it to be manually opened, thus insuring that the circuit can not be closed. again without first closing the front pole of the breaker and permit independent automatic control thereof while the second pole is being held closed. In case the pole of the breaker first closed is not auton'iatically opened by an abnormal current during starting, then, after the motor has been brought up to speed, the operator-may release the operating handle. T he spring 18 will then cause the hand operated element to be raised slightly and as it is pivoted eccentrically to that of the closing element 7, the raising of the hand operated element will permit the levers 13 of the back breaker to pass out of engagement with the rollers 17 and permit the levers 13 to fall to a vertical position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This obviouslyrelieves the back pole of the breaker from any control by the hand operated. element and permits the back pole of the breaker to thereafter be opened automatically at any time upon the passage of an abnormal current of a value higher than that for which the back pole of the breaker is set. Thus the front pole of the breaker gives protection against an abnormal current during starting conditions while the other pole of the breaker is being held closed by the operator, and the second pole of the breaker gives automatic protection during running conditions against an abnormal current of lower value.

If during running conditions, the back neeasaa pole of the breaker is automatically opened and the front pole is not, then the circuit of the rollers 17. If at any time it is desired to open the breaker manually when both poles are closed, it is merely necessary to raise the ope 'ating handle from the position shown in Fig. 1. This causes the two lugs 12 to engage their respective rollers 1'? and so cause the simultaneous opening of the two poles of the breaker.

Thus, it is evident that this improvement accomplishes the objects previously stated, giving successive closure of the contacts in proper sequence by motion of the operating handle in one direction and manual opening by movement in the reverse dir ction; and likewise secures automatic protection during motor starting conditions from an abnormal current of comparatively high value and automatic protection during running conditions from an abnormal current of lower value, the two poles of the breaker being automatically openable independently of each other.

This invention is obviously applicable to polyphase systems by proper electrical connection of the poles of the breaker and by providing a sutlicient number of poles and properly relating them in their sequence of operation. lit is evident that instead of controlling two poles as above described, three or any additional number may be controlled as desired by one manually moved element and their sequence of closure may be performed as desired by properly relating the elements; as will be understood by one skilled in the art.

For the control of three-phase circuits, four poles .would be preferably used, grouped in pairs, and the two poles of each pair being rigidly connected. One rigidly connected pair would then be controlled in the same manner as one of the poles of the breaker hereinshown and described and the other pair of rigidly connected poles would be controlled as the second pole of the breaker already described. The circuit connections for this purpose are shown in Fig. 7 where the incoming three-phase lines are indicated at 20, O" and 20, whereas the three lines to the motor circuit are indicated at 21, 21 and 21. Two of the four poles of the breaker are indicated at 222 22" and are indicated rigidly connected by an insulating rod 23, on which a r ller 3" would be mounted and having one of the controlling mechanisms located between the two rigidly connected poles, The other two til) poles 22 and 22 of the breaker are indi. cated as rigidly conuected'by an insulating rod 23*, on which the other roller 3 would be mounted and controlled by the other controlling mechanism. One of the three-phase lines, as 20", will pass through two poles of the breaker in series, as 22" and 22, to one of the lower 't'eed lines, whereas the other two of the three-phase lines will pass through the poles 22 and 22 of the breaker directly to the remaining two feed lines to the motor. It is evident that ifthis invention. is applied to this arrangement of circuits the poles 22" and 22 of the breaker will be first closed and relieved from control of the hand operated element before the two poles 22 and 22 are closed; and while the latter are held closed,.the breaker will give automatic protection to two lines of the circuit from an abnormal current during starting and after the operator has released the operating handle, the remaining two poles '22 and 22 willgive automatic'pro tection to two lines of the circuit from a lower abnormal current during running conditions.

In Fig. 8, the connections for the same form of four pole breaker is shown for adaptation of this invention to a two-phase fourwire circuit, the wires 24 and 24 being the incoming lines of one phase and the wires 24? and 24 being the incoming lines of the other phase, the corresponding lines to the motor being indicated at 25, 25", 25 and 25f; It is evident from the circuit connections of Fig. 8 that one line of each of'the two phases is first closed by the closure of the poles 22 and 22 of the breakerand then the remaining two lines are closed by the poles 22 and 22. This will permit the latter poles to be held closed by the operator while the poles22 and 22 are free to open automatically giving protection during starting conditions; and after the motor has been brought up to speed and the handle released by the operator, the poles 22'and will give automatic protection during running conditions against a lower overload current than the protection secured by the poles 22 and 22.

Instead of rigidly connecting the poles in pairs, the same result would be accomplished by using four closing elements and grouping them in two pairs, the closing elements of each pair being rigidly connected, thus controlling the poles of each pair in unison; or the manual element may be used with four poles and four closing elements and have the levers 13 positioned on the manual element ingroups properly related, so that movement of themanually operated element will control two closing elements and two poles of each pair in unison and each pair otclosing elements and poles in succession. V

Although I have described a particular embodimentof this invention, it will be understoodthat various modifications may be made. therein without departing from the scope thereof and that the invention may be applied to the control of various circuits for various purposes in the particular manner desired.

I claim:

1. r circuit breaker comprising a plural ity of separately closable and separately openable poles, a controlling element, and means controlled by said elemcntfor closing said poles successively by movement of said element in one direction and for opening said poles by movement of said clement in the reverse direction.

2. A circuit breaker comprising two separately clo'sable and separately open-able poles, automatic means for causing the opening of one of saidpoles upon the occurrence of a comparatively high overload current and for causing the opening of the other of said poles upon the occurrence of a lower overload current, a controlling element, and means controlled by movement of said element in one direction for closing said poles successively andtor restraining said second pole while said first pole is free to open automatically and for opening said poles by movement of said element in the reverse direction.

3. A circuit breaker comprising two separately closable and separately openable poles, automatic means for causing the opening of one of said poles upon the occurrence of a comparatively high overload current and for causing the opening of the other of said poles upon the occurrence of alower overload current, a manually operated controlling element, and means controlled by movement of said element in one direction for closing said first and second poles successively and for restraining said second pole while said first pole is free to open automatically and for automatically render-- ing said second pole free to open automatically when said element is released.

4. A circuit breaker comprising two separately closable and separately openable poles, automatic means for 'ausing the opening of one of said poles upon the occurrence of a comparatively high overload, current and for causing the opening of the other of said poles upon the occurrence of a lower overload current, a manually operated controlling element, means controlled by movement of said element in one direction for closing said poles successivel and for restraining said second pole while said first pole is free to open automatically and for rendering said second pole tree to open automatically when said element is released, and for openingsaid poles by movement of said element in the reverse direction.

lit

5. A circuit breaker comprising two separately closable and separately openable poles, automatic means for causing the open ing of one of said poles upon the occurrence of a comparatively high overload current and for causing the opening of the other of said poles upon the occurrence of a lower overload current, a manually operated controlling element, and means controlled by movement of said element in one direction for closing said first and second poles successively and for restraining the second pole while said first pole is free to open automatically when said element is held at the limit of its travel in one direction, and means for rendering said second pole tree to open automatically when said element is released.

6. A circuit breaker for controlling multiwire circuits comprising two pairs of poles, the two poles of each pair beingcontrolled in unison, each of said. pairs being separately closable and separately openable, a controlling element, and means controlled by said element for closing said pairs successively by movement of said element in one direction and for opening said pairs by movement of said element in the reverse direction.

7. A circuit breaker for controlling multiwire circuits comprising two pairs of poles, the twopol-es of each pair being controlled in unison, each of said pairs being separately closable and separately openable, automatic means for causing the opening of one of said pairs upon the occurrence of a comparatively high overload current and for causing the opening of the other of said pairs upon the occurrence of a lower overload current, a controlling element, and means controlled by movement of said element in one direction for closingsaid pairs successively and for restraining said second pair while said first pair is free to open automatically and for opening said pairs by movement of said element in the reverse direction.

8, A circuit breaker for controlling multiwire circuits comprising two pairs of poles, the two poles of each pair being controlled in unison, each of said pairs being separately closable and separately openable, automatic means for causing the opening Off one of said pairs upon the occurrence of a comparatively high overload current and for causing the opening of the other of said pairs upon the occurrence of a lower overload current, a manually'operated controlling element, and means controlled by movement of said element in one direction for closing saidpairs successively and for restraining said second pair while said first pair is free to open automatically, and means to automatically reverse slightly the direction of movement of said controlling element for rendering said second pair free to open automatically when said element is released.

9. A circuit breaker comprising a plurality of separately closable and separately openable poles, a pivotally mounted closing element for each of said poles, a device for each of said poles respectively for causing its automatic opening upon the occurrence of an abnormal current, a pivoted manually operated element, and pivoted devices car-- ried by said manually operated element adapted to successively engage said closing elements for closing the breaker when said manual element is moved in one direction and adapted to freely pass said closing elements when said manual element is moved in the reverse direction.

10. A circuit breaker 'con'iprising a plurality of separately closable and separately openable poles, a pivotally mounted closing element for each of said poles respectively, a device for each of saidpoles respectively for causing its automatic opening upon the occurrence of an abnormal current, a pivoted manually operated element, movable in either direction between limits and biased to a position intermediate said limits, and devices carried by said manually operated element adapted to successively engage said closing elements for closing the breaker when said manual element is moved in one direction and to restrain one of said poles in closed position while the other is free to automatically open, said biased element being automatically moved to release the restrained pole to permit its automatic opening when said biased element is released by the operator.

11. A circuit breaker comprising a plurality of separately closable and separately openable poles, a pivotally mounted closing element for each of said poles respectively, a device for each 01 said poles respectively for causing its automatic opening upon the occurrence of an abnormal current, a pivoted manually operated element movable in either direction between limits and biased to a position intermediate said limits, and devices carried by said manually operated ele ment adapted to successively engage said closing elements for closing the breaker when said manualelement is moved in one direction and to restrain one of said poles in closed position while the other is free to automatically open, and means for automatically rendering said restrained pole free to open automatically upon release of said manually operated element by the operator.

12. A circuit breaker comprising a plurality of separately closable and separately openable poles, a pivotally mounted closing element for each of said poles respectively, a device for each of said poles respectively for causing its automatic opening upon the occurrence of an abnormal current, a pivoted manually operated element, and devices carried by said manually operated element adapted to successively engage said closing elements for closing the breaker when said manual element is moved in one direction and to restrain one of said poles in closed position when said manually operated element is at the limit of its travel in one direction While the other pole is free to automatically open, and means for automatically rendering said restrained pole free to open automatically upon release of said manually operated element by the operator.

FRANK WV. ROLLER. 

